- Date
- October 12, 1996, 03:23 local (10:23 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N2501XPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961012032079A
- Case key
- 29661
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the student pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, his subsequent flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance from obstructions (power lines). Factors related to the accident were: darkness, low ceiling, and fog.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to information from the flying club that had operational control of the airplane, the airplane was taken without permission by a student pilot, who was a former member of the club. A police report was filed. Later, an investigation revealed that the student had taken the airplane after attending a party where he met his passenger. At about 0045 PDT, the student took off on a night flight. After about 2.7 hours of flight time, the airplane collided with high tension power lines, which were strung diagonally across a major city freeway. The accident site was 1.5 miles from the departure airport, and the power lines were about 75 feet above the pavement. The 0315 PDT weather at the airport was in part: 400 feet overcast, visibility 3 miles with fog, and wind calm. A toxicology test of the pilot's blood (drawn shortly after the accident) showed an alcohol level of 80 mg/dl (0.08%). Witnesses indicated that the pilot had been drinking beer at a party until almost midnight.
Factual narrative
On October 12, 1996, at 0323 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N2501X, collided with some power transmission wires about 1.5 mile south of Montgomery Field airport, San Diego, California. The airplane was operated by Plus One Flyers, Inc., a flying club, at Montgomery Field. The airplane was taken without permission by the student pilot, a former club member. The airplane was destroyed. The student pilot and his passenger received serious injuries. The flight originated from Montgomery Field about 0045. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the flying club, the airplane was stolen and a report was filed with the San Diego Police Department. Police investigation revealed that the student had taken the airplane after attending a party where he met his passenger.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors who examined the accident site and the aircraft, the airplane's hobbs meter indicated the pilot had flown 2.7 hours before hitting the wires. The high tension power lines contacted by the aircraft are strung diagonally across a major city freeway and are about 75 feet above the pavement and about 1.5 miles from the airport. The visibility in the accident area was obscured by fog.
California Highway Patrol technicians drew blood from the pilot after he had been transported to the hospital. According to the test results from the CHP, the pilot's blood-alcohol level was 0.08 mg/dl.
Review of the student pilot's application for a medical certificate and student pilot certificate reveal his total pilot time on July 14, 1995, was 64 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2501X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8590079
- Airframe hours
- 4,733
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Plus One Flyers
- Registered owner
- Kevin Teel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 16, 1996 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- MYF
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 67 total · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAN, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2501X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.